


Olympic Village - Garreg Mach

by The_Unqualified1



Series: 2020 Fódlan Summer Olympics [12]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Covid canceled the olympics so we made our own hope you like it, F/F, F/M, Fodlan Summer Olympics, Garreg Mach Monastery (Fire Emblem), Knights of Seiros - Freeform, Lucky socks, Male Byleth is Bob/Berith, Our girls finally getting to flirt a bit, Random hearty single dad talk from Seteth, character moments, twin talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:00:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26214481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Unqualified1/pseuds/The_Unqualified1
Summary: Halfway through the competitions the host nation decides to host a mixer to give the athletes a chance to mingle.Rhea and Seteth set up and chat.Flayn talks good luck charms.Bob and Cyril try to do their hair.Byleth sees a familiar face.And many more!
Relationships: Catherine/Shamir Nevrand, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth, Jeralt Reus Eisner/Sitri Eisner | Byleth's Mother
Series: 2020 Fódlan Summer Olympics [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1881421
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36





	Olympic Village - Garreg Mach

**Author's Note:**

> Woo! Week 3 here we go! Enjoy this check in with our host nation, and enjoy getting to see some potential flirting between our lovely ladies.

Rhea looked out over the vast ballroom, a complacent smile on her face. There were staff laying out tables and chairs, technicians stringing lights across the rafters, and caterers setting out trays and trays of food.

Everything had been going smashingly so far. The honor of being the host nation was not lost on her, and she planned to rise to the occasion. The athletes themselves had been models of bravery, camaraderie, and reverence. And to celebrate the halfway point of these Olympic games, they had organized a small mixer for the participants from different nations, practices, and backgrounds to come together and share in this experience that only a select few ever could.

The progress they’d made was satisfying, and they were on track to properly greet the many nations that graced their halls with a lavish mixer. Hopefully to help them come together and unwind after the events so far. She wished her brother could share in her ease, but he seemed to be a bit preoccupied.

She smiled knowingly as she looked at her brother, wishing he could share in her serendipitous outlook, but she knew there were many other things on his mind, most of all one Garreg Mach swimmer.

“Seteth, would you like to go see her?” She asked the nervous man who’d been staring off 1000 yards for most of the afternoon. “Things are going rather smoothly here. We could spare you if you’d like to go check in with Flayn.” She offered.

He quickly shook his head.

“No no, that won't be necessary. I have been rather… invasive as of late with her time. She probably would appreciate some… distance.” He shook his head from his stupor. “My apologies. I know I’ve been distracted. I just… she’s so grown.” He smiled wistfully.

Rhea smiled to match his, something warm and sentimental. In truth seeing how far her niece had come not only as a swimmer but as a young woman was truly incredible, and one of her greatest joys in life. But she knew what weighed on his mind…

“She would be so proud of her.” She said, laying a soothing hand on his shoulder. He hummed a laugh, and turned to wipe his sleeve at the corner of his eye. “As proud as we are.”

“Perhaps even more-so.” Seteth said with a whisper of a smile. “I’m just so… worried about not being around enough for her.” His expression turned serious. “I don’t want her feeling short changed… only having _me_ …”

“Brother,” Rhea said, in a more commanding tone. “Flayn has _never_ been left wanting. Between her family and friends, she has _always_ had the support she needed. And you have been the biggest piece of that. Do not doubt the part you play in your daughter’s life.”

He nodded, taking a deep breath.

“Perhaps you’re right.” He said, looking lighter.

“You don’t have to be there every moment of every day to show you care. You’ve given her the tools she needs.” Rhea smiled. “And, we can’t discount her friends. They’re a good, responsible bunch.”

“Any luck yet kid?!” Catherine yelled as she flipped the mattress off its frame.

“No, not yet. Are you sure it is in here?” Flayn called from the other room.

“If it’s anywhere it’s there!” She yelled back through the wall.

“Do you have to make such a mess?” Shamir huffed, turning her wife around by the collar and buttoning up her increasingly wrinkled undershirt. At least it was going under a vest. Catherine never had been good at standing still for any amount of time. Her hands would fidget and her weight constantly shifting from foot to foot. Making the simple task difficult.

“It’s fine if you can’t find it.” Shamir yelled back to the girl looking in the adjacent room.

“What?” Catherine protested. “What’s the point of getting dressed up if you don’t have the pocket square? It makes the outfit, _and_ matches your dress. And if I’m going to this thing I may as well look damn good going.” Catherine concluded with a sigh.

“Perhaps, but if you could manage to _not destroy_ the room that would be a first. And if we haven’t found it yet we’re not going to.” Shamir said annoyedly. “And will you stop fidgeting?!”

Catherine looked sheepish and sighed.

“Fine… fine. Flayn, you can give it-”

“FOUND IT!” Flayn announced as she came into the room, proudly holding up the light lavender material with evergreen argyle adorning it.

“Well I’ll be damned. Way to go squirt!” Catherine said, pulling away from her wife to retrieve the fabric and give the girl a high five. Flayn giggled excitedly. “I knew you could do it. See? We put our best people on it and it goes great!”

“Where’d you find it?” Shamir asked.

“Oh, well… it was in your suitcase.” Flayn said almost apologetically.

The death look that Shamir shot at Catherine was almost ruthless if it wasn’t so familiar.

“Suitcase, huh? Who could’ve predicted that.” Shamir said, as sarcastically as possible.

“Now hold on, I checked there!” Catherine insisted.

“Not well enough.” Shamir said, suppressing a sigh and finishing her task of buttoning her shirt. “But luckily, we had Flayn on it.” She said looking with a small smile to the young girl, who was giddy with the praise.

“Yeah, thanks again Flayn.” Catherine offered. “What were you asking us about before?”

“Oh!” She bawled her hands into fists that she excitedly held at her side. “I was wondering, do you think I should wear my lucky socks to the pool each day of training? Or just on the day of the event?”

“Do you normally… wear socks to the pool?” Catherine asked, slightly surprised.

“Well not _in_ the pool silly.” She laughed in turn. “Just to the arena. Do you not wear your lucky socks to practice?”

“Well, we normally practice in sand.” Shamir offered.

“And… I don’t think we own lucky socks.” Catherine said out loud, earning another glare from her wife that said _‘Don’t discourage the kid.’_

“Oh? Well… I encourage them. They are quite the comfort.” Flayn said half-heartedly.

“You know when I was little, I had a lucky rabbit's foot.” Catherine tried to recover. That perked the green-haired girl back up. “And I was so upset when my dad gave it to me, wondering what rabbit was missing his leg.”

The young girl laughed.

“So I never liked lucky totems. That is until I met this one.” She wrapped an arm around Shamir’s shoulders. “She’s all the luck I need.”

Flayn laughed again at that, and Shamir blushed, but didn’t pull away from the warmth of her wife.

“To answer the original question, I’d say wear them everyday Flayn. Nothing wrong with a little extra luck.” Shamir offered. The girl nodded in agreement.

“Thank you both! I’m going to finish getting ready for the mixer! But I truly appreciate your wisdom.” She gave a little bow as she ran out of the room.

“Hmm, cute kid.” Catherine commented.

“You need to finish getting ready too.” Shamir said, finally pulling away.

“Do we really have to go to this thing?” She sighed. “You know how much I hate ‘gatherings’ like this.”

“I’ll say. You tried to skip out on our reception.” Shamir laughed.

“What? I was looking forward to the honeymoon.” Catherine teased.

Shamir paused from pulling out her clothes for the evening and walked back over to the blonde, putting a hand on her chest.

“Can you just finish getting ready? We’re going to this thing, but…” She raised an eyebrow, and saw the playful look mirrored in her wife’s face. She’d recognize that look after all this time together, but loved it all the same. “Play nice for the evening… and we’ll see just how _lucky_ you get after.”

Berith was in the bathroom with Cyril, both of them trying to look presentable. It wasn’t in his wheelhouse to dress up, he was far more comfortable in casual wears. Something he knew his family shared with him. _The Eisners are loungewear people_. His mother had said once after watching their father try to get fitted for a suit. Even to his younger memory his father's posture had read his discomfort clear as a day. Stiff shoulders, hands that kept flexing, clenched jaw. He remembered the same look from the one time they tried to get his sister in a dress.

He chuckled at the memory.

To his side he noticed Cyril tugging at his collar every few moments and figured the young Almyran boy had a similar distaste for fashion as them. He looked sharp though, in a light green checkered undershirt and dark brown slacks with a yellow-gold tie.

The boy was applying handful after handful of hair gel in an attempt to force his locks into submission, and Berith found himself doing something similar with his mousse. When they caught a look at the other’s handful of cosmetic products, they both broke out in a smile and laughed.

“There may be no hope for us, huh?” Berith said in mock despair as he applied the handful of mousse and reached for a comb.

“Yeah, maybe not.” Cyril agreed, trying his last handful of gel, before flicking his hands to try and wipe off the excess. Berith offered his comb and Cyril nodded, taking the piece of plastic and trying to tame some of his unruly hair.

“My mom always said my hair was a lost cause.” Berith joked, rinsing his hands under water. “She said it picked a shape it liked a long time ago and it’s sticking to it.”

Cyril hummed a laugh.

“Your mom’s nice.” He added.

“Yeah, she is.” Berith smiled. He dabbed a bit of cologne in his hands and patted the liquid near his neck. He saw Cyril watching him out of the corner of his eye and smirked, offering the bottle to him. The boy placed down the comb, and took to applying the cologne as if it were a vital task.

Berith had grown to think of most of the athletes as his family. It helped that his blood family was here too, but Cat and Shamir were like the whacky aunts. Flayn always felt like his niece the way he found himself looking after her. And Cyril was like a little brother. Which he hoped went both ways, knowing that the boy didn’t have much family of his own.

Flayn poked her head in the bathroom.

“Hey you two! Coach says we’re looking to head out in 10!”

“Roger that.” Berith said, straightening the sleeves on his charcoal jacket. He adjusted his belt and gave himself one last look. _As good as it’s gonna get._

“Hey, did you guys know Cat and Shamir don’t wear lucky socks?” Flayn said in an excited whisper.

“What?!” Cyril returned. “No wonder they didn’t win gold.” He joked.

“Well, none of us have either. _Yet._ ” He added with a smile to Flayn. “Tell me Coach isn’t wearing his tracksuit to the mixer.”

“He tried, but your dad talked him out of it. The suit he brought is…” She dragged trying to find the right word.

“Questionable?” Berith tried.

“Baby blue with ruffles?” Flayn offered, and the bathroom broke out in laughs.

“That does sound so very him.” Berith concluded.

“Indeed.” Came a new voice from the hall, and Berith saw Sitri enter into the doorframe with a smile. “But you know, not many coaches can pull it off.”

She walked into the bathroom and ran a hand through her son’s hair to smooth it out, in the way only she ever could. She turned to Cyril and smiled, reaching out to straighten his collar.

“My, don't you all look dashing.” She said warmly. Cyril blushed slightly, while Flayn spun in her white sundress. She had such a way of saying the right thing. Berith hoped to one day inherit that skill.

“Where’s By?” He asked, having some idea already.

“With your father.” Sitri sighed. “You know how they love their pep talks.” The two of them had been going in circles recently over the workout regiment Byleth had been keeping.

“Yeah, they sure do. Flayn, would you go remind them we’re leaving soon?” Berith asked the young girl. She nodded to eagerly accept the task and was off. “Neither of them can say no to her.” Berith added once she’d disappeared down the hall. His mother smiled back.

“That’s my boy.”

When they’d left the bathroom they joined with the main group and saw everyone standing around ready to go. Alois’ suit was indeed… a sight. He had his back brace wrapped around his waist, cutting off the full view of it, but the sharp baby blue buttoned over a ruffled white undershirt was something to behold.

“Wow Coach, looking sharp.” Berith complimented.

“Thanks my boy.” He laughed, as he was unvelcroing the brace and lying it on the back of the loveseat. _Gods, this thing had tailcoats too._

Berith turned his attention to see his father and sister standing off the side, hands in their pockets and looking off into space. He could imagine how their talk had gone, after hearing similar versions throughout the last few days.

“Kid you’re going to burn yourself out.” His father would start.

“I know my limits.” Byleth would say back.

“Oh like I haven’t heard that one before.”

On and on they’d go, unaware they were basically talking to the same person. One stubborn stone cliff to another. And how do you negotiate with a mountain? You can’t. So neither would relent.

They’d been doing this all week.

Sitri, luckily, read the tenison and moved forward, laying a hand on either of their shoulders. She had this way with them. No words needed to be spoken, just her unending warmth and a slight smile and he could practically see them sighing away their worries. They both smiled back, and Byleth rested a hand on hers with a nod that said, _I know, I know._

She turned to her husband and adjusted the collar on his tan jacket over his black undershirt and slacks. He could clean up when needed. He’d have worn a tuxedo t-shirt if it’d been up to him, and Berith could remember times he had in his childhood, but it was nice to see him in prime form. He reached up to her hand and smiled, placing a kiss on the back of her knuckles.

He and Byleth locked eyes and rolled them in unison, the way they always had when their parents were being ‘mushy.’

His sister was wearing a white pressed undershirt with the sleeves rolled up. Her vest was black on the back half and shimmery gray on the front. Her slacks were a rich navy, almost the shade of their hair. He’d say that just about anyone else couldn’t pull off the look, but she made it look natural.

Flayn ran up and tugged on Byleth’s hand and she crouched for the young girl to whisper something in her ear.

“Course I got mine.” She said, reaching down and pulling up the leg of her pants to show off a pattern of royal blue socks with green, yellow, and purple fish silhouettes dotted along it.

Flayn beamed.

“Shall we go?” Sitri asked the group.

When they were outside in the cool air of the autumn evening Byleth found herself falling in step next to her brother.

“You good?” He asked.

“Yeah.” She said staring ahead.

“What was it this time?”

“Same thing as always. He wants me to pull back, but… the whole point of being here is to _push._ To discover that something at the end of the tunnel.” Byleth spoke pensively.

“What’s at the end of the tunnel?” Bob asked. She shook her head in response.

“I don’t know. That’s why I gotta push.”

“Well hey, “ She could hear Bob trying to lighten the mood. “Maybe it’s that pole vaulter you were practically drooling over at the track.” She elbowed him with a smirk.

“Shut upppp.” She groaned.

“Just saying, even the news picked up on it.” He continued.

She distinctly remembered the day the media coverage showed her and the Adrestian gold medalist with hearts drawn on the screen around them.

“Did they pick up on all your trips to the pool yard to watch that diver?” She couldn't resist firing back, and saw her brother’s cheek go red.

“At least there’s no camera coverage of it.” He fired back with an elbow all his own. She grabbed her ribs in pretend pain.

“Guess you got me there.”

As soon as they enter the mixer it’s as she dreaded. Tons of people.. being awkward around each other. Everyone huddled in little groups. Those that already finished their matches looking incredibly relaxed or disappointed, depending how they did, those still to go looking anxious as they ate cocktail shrimp and sipped on glasses of ‘mocktails’ from the bar.

On the eve of yet another competition she felt silly being here. Socializing was never something she’d consider herself gifted at. She could chameleon her way through most situations, blend into the background and survive it. But she should be spending these minutes getting ready, not wasting them in pleasantries.

“Hey, maybe you’ll see that pretty pole-vaulter.” Catherine said with a slight bump to her arm.

_Was everyone going to comment on that?_

She rolled her eyes for Cat to see before the blonde winked and moved on with her wife toward the host herself, Lady Rhea, in the center of the room. She knew they’d always been close and shared a history. In fact, Rhea had been the one to ordain their marriage.

She saw Cyril and Flayn break off toward the dessert table and noticed Hapi the sharpshooter and her wife already over there, filling up plates and laughing with each other.

The sight warmed her heart. She was glad they had each other.

She noticed who she thought was the Leicester coach clutching hands and talking excitedly with a younger girl dressed in maroon. She assumed the two knew each other.

Her parents and brother broke off to get a table and settle in and she stood there hands in her pockets, trying to determine what to do… and decided she couldn’t fake it right now. She crossed the room as inconspicuously as she could and found the exit door. She needed some fresh air.

As she walked down the empty stairwell she heard her dress shoes echo in the space and found the the only distraction from her rising heart rate. Why was she so anxious? They’d only just arrived, but it already felt more draining than doing 1000 laps in the pool. She couldn't put on a smile and pretend she was having fun right now, because all she could think about was her remaining competitions.

She ended up in the lobby again, thinking she could grab something from the vending machine and take some alone time before inevitably having to go back.

And as she turned the corner she saw… the pole vaulter.

She looked _stunning._ Her silver hair was in a side pony tail hanging elegantly around her exposed neck line, the bodice of her dress making a sweetheart shape and meeting a ball gown bottom at her waist, with gloves of matching deep crimson going from her hands to just below her shoulders.

Byleth was sure she was staring and was thankful her back was to her as she failed to find words in the wake of this enchanting woman.

She was standing by one of the vending machines, looking intently at something, before her reflection locked eyes with Byleth’s. She turned to face her, a light pink dusting her cheeks.

_Cute._

“Hey.” Byleth tried casually.

“Hey.” She returned, turning slowly to face her. Byleth found herself staring yet again, and was saved only by the fact that she thought, perhaps, the pole-vaulter was staring back.

She eventually cleared her throat.

“Can I uh, buy you a drink?” Byleth motioned to the vending machine and Edelgard smiled, giving a soft nod. She moved past her and caught a hint of her perfume. It was elegant, springy, and not too artificial. She liked it.

She slid in a few wrinkled singles from her pocket before punching in numbers for two gatorades and turned to hold them up, offering her the choice of the red or the blue. She took the red.

They found themselves leaning against the wall, sipping their gatorades and glancing at each other every few seconds.

“I take it you don’t care for these kinds of things either?” Edelgard said, breaking the charged silence and Byleth was almost too quick to nod.

“I know I shouldn’t mind it… but I’m not ready to relax just yet. There’s still too much… too much to do.” She didn’t quite finish the thought, but Edelgard nodded, understanding what she meant.

She looked back at her lavender eyes and smiled at their shared silence. Something about her was so comforting. She couldn’t quite place it.

“Do you… wanna get out of here?” Byleth asked, feeling bold.

“Thought you’d never ask.” Edelgard countered with a satisfied smile.

The two walk outside in the night air, the sun completely gone at this point and the path lit by lanterns on either side of the cobblestone.

“So last time we talked… I told you why pole vaulting… but why pentathlon?” Edelgard asked curiously as they kept pace at each other’s side.

Byleth had gotten the question a lot as of late, but shifted away from her typical media answer and tried to think more honestly. The girl had been open with her, perhaps she could in turn. She thoughtfully ran a hand through her indigo locks.

“Well, I tried a lot of different sports growing up. But I could never pick one… I wanted to do them all.” She said smiling up at the moon as she dug through her thoughts to try and make a coherent one. “Drove my parents crazy having them take me across town to all my different practices and games. When I got older, Coach Alois suggested Pentathlon. And the first time I competed I was hooked. This wasn’t about being the best at one thing, but at five practices… it was a challenge… kept me honest. Cause I may be the best fencer of the group, but someone would be better at shooting. Or I may run the fastest 100m, but I couldn’t slack on the equestrian piece.”

She turned to look at the girl she was walking with to make sure she wasn’t boring her, but those lavender eyes practically stole her breath with the sincerity and earnestness coming from them. _Someone who understood._

“Then, even if I was the best at every event in the pentathlon, there’d still be someone out there who was a faster swimmer. Or a better shot… Guess it’s as that old saying goes. Jack of all trades, master of none.” She said it with a slightly self-deprecating smile.

“For what it’s worth, I think you’re rather masterful.” Edelgard offered, and Byleth averted her eyes so she wouldn’t see the smile that came with her words.

They found themselves near a bench and took a seat.

“Hey… do you wanna try something crazy?” Edelgard said, slightly unsure.

Byleth turned to her, curiosity rising and nodded immediately. 

“What if... we weren’t allowed to talk about our sports the rest of the night?” She sounded almost sheepish. And Byleth’s grin widened.

“And had to instead talk like normal people?” She countered and saw the girl reach up to push back a strand of silver that had broken away from the rest. She nodded and Byleth felt her heartbeat quicken. All that outsiders ever wanted to know about was their sports, their dedication, their placements, their training regiments… but as someone on the inside… she understood...

“Then that would be great.” Byleth said back feeling light and seeing her companion perk up. “So are you a cat or a dog person?”

“Cats. No contest.” Edelgard answered immediately.

“Completely agree. Do you have any?”

“Yes, actually… I have 3.” Edelgard answered.

“What are their names?” Byleth asked smiling. Finding that she genuinely wanted to know more about this woman. The more she found... the more she liked.

They asked about families, siblings, what they were like as kids, books they were reading, music they liked, favorite comfort foods, and so on. There were seemingly endless topics to cover, and neither of the women seemed to want to pull away. And for the first time in days… Byleth wasn’t thinking about training.

**Author's Note:**

> HALFWAY POINT ACHIEVED! So exciting 🙏🏼
> 
> This weeks offerings!  
> Tuesday we have Pallet_And_Cerulean bringing us Marianne, Ferdinand, and Byleth’s Equestrian exploits.  
> Wednesday will be SightlessNinja bringing us the gentle giants, Balthus in Wrestling and Dedue in Weightlifting.  
> Thursday Edelgard_Eisner unveils Ignatz in sailing, Petra in marathon swimming, and Ashe tackling the Canoe Slalom.  
> Friday we finish the week with SunshineChildX and Jeritza and Yuri’s diving, and Flayn and Byleth’s swimming!
> 
> Who are you excited to see? Do you have any lucky totems yourself? :)


End file.
